Here are facts on St. Mary's Abbey proposal

St. Mary's Abbey's proposal to build a retirement community
(CCRC) evokes an emotional response from some supporters.

Their impassioned arguments are heavy with appeals to emotion,
but light on facts. I believe that an examination of the facts will
provide historical context and prevail over "name calling" and
loaded words, which preempt a rational examination of
issues.

Fact 1 - Because the CCRC site is a prime ground recharge area
with less than 15 percent impervious coverage such as parking lots
and buildings and is the headwaters of the Whippany River; contains
a trout production stream that provides some of the purest water
sent from the Whippany River as part of the drinking water for some
1.2 million people, and contains numerous endangered species, steep
slopes and wetlands, it is designated a State Plan Planning Area 5,
the most sensitive and most subject to run-off, siltation and
degradation if construction were to proceed.

Fact 2 - Aware of the above, confirmed by a level 3 environment
review, public input, and a concern for secondary development, the
state in 1996 only allowed limited extension of sewers to 109
existing homes because their failing septic systems posed a
possible health threat. The abbey's request to be served by this
publicly funded and maintained sewer (its aging sewer, also a
potential health risk, required expensive repair and upgrade) was
granted after they agreed to a limit of 35,000 gallons per day for
the abbey and Delbarton only and gave public assurance that they
would not seek to expand their facilities beyond current zoning.
Morris Township also agreed not to rezone the area beyond those
restrictions.

Fact 3 - Since the above restrictions prevented accommodation of
a CCRC, the abbey, despite its earlier agreements, asked that its
CCRC be connected to Morristown's sewer line. Both the Office of
State Planning and the Department of Community Affairs confirmed
that extending sewers to Planning Area 5 would violate the
one-year-old state plan that seeks to protect such sensitive,
exceptional areas from encroaching "sprawl" by encouraging
development where infrastructure already exists in regional centers
such as Morristown.

Morristown decided not to sewer the CCRC, realizing that it
would likely lose its center designation as well as state funding
if it did so. The abbey with the support of the Morris Township
Planning Board has now asked for Morris Township Committee approval
to build a separate sewer line to serve its CCRC.

Fact 4 - The following state agencies refuse to support the
extension of a sewer line to the proposed CCRC: The State Planning
Commission, the state Department of Community Affairs, and the
state Department of Environmental Protection.

In addition, local and regional governing bodies and private
organizations such as the Town of Morristown Council; Morris
Township Environmental and Historic Preservations Commissions; the
Washington Association; the National Park Service; state chapter of
the Sierra Club; Great Swamp Watershed Association, and the
Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions have all gone
on record against this development.

Fact 5 - On March 4 of this year, Sue Ostergaard, former mayor
and committeewoman of Morris Township expressed her opposition to
the proposed CCRC sewer extension in a letter to present, Mayor Jan
Wotowicz. Quoted with permission, it reads in part: "I believe that
the monks like everyone else are entitled to develop the full value
of their property, but only (a) within the law, (b) within the
scope of previous agreements, (c) with respect for the community
and (d) without placing a burden on the township or township
residents." And "As one who forged those agreements I have very
strong feelings that they should be honored." Finally, "Even though
this additional line will be put in at the expense of the applicant
(The Abbey), it will ultimately become the responsibility and
burden of the township to maintain."

The abbey, already the beneficiary of a connection to a public
sewer line, now chooses to renege on its agreement, violate its
assurances, and saddle the public with maintaining a new sewer
line.

Facts may be uncomfortable, especially if they do not match
one's view of what was, is or should be. Facts and evidence don't
fit one or two word phrases, and they may take time and effort to
uncover and understand. But their distinct advantage over "shoot
from the hip" emotionally charged attacks and innuendo such as
calling those opposed to this proposal, "fear mongering,"
"anti-abbey" or "anti-senior citizen," is that they can be checked,
corroborated and documented.

Transparent attempts by some to discredit opponents through
appeal to emotion rather than facts only undermine their already
tenuous position. I invite opponents and those who are unconvinced
or uncommitted to examine the relevant state and town agency
reports, documents and other public records from the organizations
cited in "Fact 4."

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